More hiring has yet to lead to more pay. While U.S. unemployment fell from 10% in October 2009 to 8.3% in August 2012, it has not been enough to boost salary budget increases and, subsequently, employee wages, according to WorldatWork, an association of total rewards professionals.

Pulte Homes has signed on as the builder of a new 1,956-sq.-ft. home addition for Aimee Copeland, the young woman who developed a rare bacterial infection called necrotizing fasciitis. She suffered from multiple amputations and is now facing a number of health issues.

The home builder expects the addition to be completed within 40 days, when Copeland returns home from rehabilitation.

With the new requirement in the 2012 International Residential Code (IRC) stating that builders must install mechanical ventilation in all homes, it is more important than ever that builders understand what ventilation solutions are available, according to Mike Moore, PE, LEED AP, Research Associate, Newport Partners, LLC, Davidsonville, Md.

What began quite innocently as a pet project turned into a national movement for Anders Lewendal, the Bozeman, Mont., builder who has since gained wide acclaim for constructing a house made entirely from U.S.-made products.

Initially, Lewendal set out to build an “efficient, affordable and environmentally healthy” home for a client whose daughter has cystic fibrosis. In researching the building materials and parts required for the project, Lewendal was struck with this idea: Why not go for all-American parts and materials.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Homelite Consumer Products, the 15-in. Homelite Surface Cleaner attachment for pressure washers can break, causing a laceration hazard.

According to a notice on the Homelite website, "The nozzle can detach from the spray bar and eject from the product housing, posing a laceration hazard to consumers." Only the 15-in. single walled surface cleaner attachments with hexagonal brass colored nozzles are affected by the voluntary recall.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that it is moving to ban the sale of “the most toxic” consumer rat and mouse poisons, as well as most loose bait and pellet products. The agency is also requiring that all newly registered rat and mouse poisons marketed to residential consumers be enclosed in bait stations so children and pets cannot access the pesticide.

An article in Consumer Reports highlighting Home Safety Month listed the top injuries that occur to homeowners doing home repairs, remodeling, yard work and other projects. Citing statistics from the Home Safety Council, the magazine reported that one in five consumers will need medical attention this year, as 43 million homeowners tackle 57 million home improvement projects.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSP), in cooperation with importer One World Technologies of Anderson, S.C., is recalling approximately 300,000 Ryobi 1/4th sheet sanders due to a risk of injury.

Pieces of the fan can break off from the fan assembly and be ejected from the product, posing a laceration hazard to consumers, the CPSC announcement said.

The firm has received 31 reports of broken fan pieces being ejected from the sander, including two reports of minor lacerations.

St. Paul, Minn.-based Ergodyne announced an expansion of its Chill-Its Cooling line of products, including the new Chill-Its 6700CT Evaporative Bandana with Cooling Towel, and Chill-Its 6710CT Evaporative Triangle Hat with Cooling Towel.

Coast Hardware, a True Value dealer in Willits, Calif., keeps some unusual merchandise in the front of the store: a large cage full of cats, ready for adoption. According to an article in the Willits News, owner Don Buchanan and staff have been helping place animal rescue shelter cats in homes for several years.

The Northern California hardware store partners with the local chapter of the Humane Society and a group called Anderson Valley Animal Rescue.

Muscatine, Iowa-based Prefense, maker of Prefenz Botanicals hand sanitizers, has signed several contracts with major retailers, including Do it Best and True Value, according to the DesMoines Register.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined Monterey Park, Calif.-based Kinetic Solutions Inc. -- doing business as Rabbit Air -- $82,400 for allegedly selling unregistered and misbranded pesticides and making unproven claims about their effectiveness.